Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Hey you deer vets...what's this?

This little buck has a volleyball size growth under his belly and is still in velvet. Any ideas what may have caused the growth? Anyone else ever see this type of growth in your area? He appears healthy otherwise and is usually with another buck about his size.

You sure he doesn't just have a huge set of balls?

I can relate.

Looks like a massive hernia to me. That bulge is likely full of intestines. It could be a tumor but hernias are a lot more common.
Hopefully a hunter will take him out. He's in for a lot of pain otherwise.

The other differential for me would be an abscess. A pocket of puss caused by a bacterial infection generally secondary to some type of penetrating wound. Since there appears to be some black discoloration on the lower aspect of the mass, this could be the initiating wound. Just a thought.
I think abscess, hernia, then less likely a tumor.
MTSmith

I'd second the hernia theory. My father shot a small buck several years ago with a similar but slightly smaller bulge. When I gutted it I found it was his nut sack full of guts. Also found his diaphragm was ruptured and his stomach was intruding into the chest cavity. Seemed to be healthy other wise and was getting around fine.

Hernia, Rio7

The discoloration is his penis. I, too, am pretty sure that it is a hernia.

Here's another look. Nut sack is very dark in color.

My initial thought was hernia, too.

Papiloma most likely. If it is a hernia that poor guy is in a world of pain

This deer has the same sort of thing going on.

1st pic is from May, 2nd pic was a couple weeks ago. Seems to be getting along just fine, but I'm probably going to shoot him if given the chance. That can't be very comfortable.

R7

Thanks for sharing that. Very interesting. If you take him out, I'd be very interested in what you find in that pouch.

WN

Have a doe since 2011, show up like that. She drops fawns, although this year she only has a single, and is a very good mother.